There are so many new social networks popping up almost every day that it’s impossible to do them all justice. That is, if you still want to run a successful business and still have some sort of home-life. Even so, we’d like to introduce you to one flourishing site definitely worth considering for your marketing.

You may already be addicted to Pinterest, which has soared into the ranks of social networking giants as the fastest growing social network in history, but how many of you are using it for your professional lives, too? For our industry, it’s simply a no-brainer.

In case you’ve not been sucked in, Pinterest is (putting it simply) a social network where you can show off what inspires you by ‘pinning’ images and visual concepts to various virtual boards. What’s better is that you can also easily link up with those with similar interests and swap ideas. It is, effectively, a huge, virtual mood board that takes collaboration to a whole new level.

Imagine how classy you’d look to clients showing them style options on an iPad as you go through your consultation. Better yet, clients can check out your pin board for inspiration at home before their appointment, sharing their favourites on their own boards and getting their friends' opinions.

With 80 percent of images being re-pins (when someone adds your image to their own board), it means if you pin an image of your latest work and one of your clients then repins, all of their friends will see it with your name on it. It’s taking word-of-mouth to a new level. A visual level. It also helps that many Pinterest devotees are sharing their re-pins on Facebook and Twitter.

Pinterest represents a huge opportunity to market your salon, so start pinning now and use it to put your salon on the social network map:

Pinterest is driving a lot of traffic to websites by users pinning images to their boards and people finding out where they originated. Allow for all your images on your website to be ‘pinned’ to boost traffic.

You want to be seen as leading the trends in haircuts, and one of the easiest ways to communicate this is to be a leader in new trends with your Pinterest boards.What better way to drive brand loyalty than by being the most visible, coolest, most progressive salon in your area. Pinterest keeps you on everyone’s radar and helps build a relationship that’s sharable.

Link your Pinterest board to your Twitter and Facebook accounts so that your fans and friends, and their friends, can see what you’ve been browsing.

Pinning Tips:

Don’t pin anything that could compromise your brand, even as a joke.

Be aware of copyright laws and adhere to limitations on sharing.

Think of things other than hair that is part of your salon culture – books, recipes, tattoos, art, music, etc.

Be consistent and pin every day, throughout the day. Pinterest has a smartphone app, which makes it easy to do anytime. HINT: Best time to ‘pin’ is Saturday morning.

Keep it fun and engaging and don’t shy away from things that push the envelope. Just don’t venture into the offensive!

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About the Author:

Valorie Reavis

Valorie Reavis is an online and social media marketing guru with Linkup Marketing, which focuses on search engine marketing, salon email marketing programs and social media marketing for salons and spas.